Improvement in tooth-brushes



NrrEn STATES PATENT QFFICE.

SAMUEL STEVENS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT INTOOTH-BRUSHES Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 160,552, dated March 9, 1875; application filed J mm 18, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL STEVENS, of the city and State of N ewYork, have invented an Improvement in Tooth-Brushes, of which the following is a specification:

The object of this invention is to produce a brush that is especially adapted to remove stain and tartar from the enamel of the teeth without injury to the surface of the teeth.

I make use of the vegetable fiber obtained from the palm-tree, and pr fer and use that produced from the leaves and stems of the tree known as the iriri or tucum palm.

I find this fiber especially adapted to cleaning teeth, because it is of a fine strong character, and at the same time there is considerable silica in or with the fiber, producing a sharpness that renders it especially useful in removing the stain and deposit upon teeth and keeping them in a smooth and clean condition.

I prefer to weave or knit the fiber up into cords or strings, with loops at one edge and a heading at the other edge, and these loops may be either out or uncut. Such a cord or tape is represented in Fig. 1. This is made in any of the well-known ways of manufacturing narrow fringe for upholstery or other articles, and the heading may be a wire or cords.

I make use of a wooden or other handle, such as shown in Fig. 2, and commence to wind the cord or tape around one end, I), of said handle. The Winding is proceeded with around the said end 12 until such portion is completely filled with. the projecting ends or loops of such fiber, the said heading being next to the handle and the loops or fibers standing outwardly, and care is to be taken to attach the heading at the ends, and also at different places along the handle. This may be done by a wire, or by using a wire in the heading of the cord or tape.

A brush made in this manner is especially adapted to the cleaning of the teeth, but may be used for other purposes.

I claim as my invention- The brush made of the palm fiber, in loops extending from a heading, and wound around and attached to a handle, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 16th day of June, A. D. 1874.

SAML. STEVENS.

Witnesses GEo. T. PINoKNEY, CHAS. H. SMITH. 

